Gaston Médecin

Gaston Médecin was sportsman from Monaco who competed at two Olympic Games in the 1920s before having a career as a tennis player either side of World War II. The Médecin family were very famous in France during the 20th century with relatives of Gaston holding political positions including the post of the Mayor of Nice from 1928 to 1990.

Médecin was the flag bearer for Monaco at the Opening Ceremony of the 1924 Paris Olympics, following in the footsteps of his second cousin Edmond who had the same honour at the 1920 Antwerpen Games. Gaston competed in the long jump in Paris where he finished in 22nd place with a best jump of 6.510 metres. He also competed in both multi-discipline events, finishing in 17th place in the pentathlon and 20th place in the decathlon. At the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics Médecin finished in 34th place in the long jump with 6.51 metres. He once again competed in the decathlon but did not finish after failing to record a height during the pole vault.

As a tennis player Médecin represented Monaco in the Davis Cup on five occasions from 1934 to 1947 in the International Lawn Tennis Challenge Europe Zone. In 1938 he played in the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at the Wimbledon Championships. He made two further appearances at Wimbledon, the first in the doubles in 1939, before playing in the singles and doubles in 1946. At this time Médecin was also a mainstay at the French Championships (now the French Open), playing in multiple editions of the tournament either side of the war.

Médecin had a son called Yvan (b.1926), who like his father played in the Davis Cup for Monaco, where he played in two matches in the 1955 tie against Argentina. Also in 1955, both father and son played for the International Club of Monaco against the International Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain at Monte Carlo. Diane Médecin-Bourély, Yvan’s daughter and Gaston’s grand-daughter, was also a tennis player. In 1985 the indoor sports arena Salle Gaston Médecin was named in his honour.

Personal Bests: LJ – 6.52 (1924); Dec – 5137 (1924).